Cabinet doors are typically mounted to cabinets using long-arm hinges so as to pivot cabinet doors between an open position and a closed position. A hinge arm of each hinge is mounted to the cabinet carcass with a mounting plate. The mounting plate is fastened to the cabinet carcass and the hinge arm is releasably connected to the mounting plate. A hinge cup, which is pivotally connected to the hinge arm, is mounted to the cabinet door with a set of fasteners. The set of fasteners are normally visible and accessible, particularly for hinges which are located near eye level. However, the heads of fasteners, such as screws, present an unsightly appearance. For example, the screws generally do not match the color of the cabinet or cabinet doors.
The prior art has attempted to address these problems with limited success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,948 to Gross, et al. discloses an adjustable hinge and a cover for a hinge arm of the adjustable hinge. The cover overlies an adjusting screw and a fastening screw of the hinge arm. The cover includes protuberances that projects and press fits into a recess of the hinge arm and into a slotted hole of the hinge arm. However, the cover in Gross only covers the hinge arm and does not cover the hinge cup leaving the hinge cup fastener heads exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,716 to Grass discloses a covering element for a furniture hinge. The covering element has a generally U-shaped cross section and is mounted to a hinge arm of the furniture hinge. The hinge cup is not covered. The covering element snap fits to the sides of the hinge arm to further secure the covering element to the hinge arm. The covering element has an end portion to cover an end of the hinge arm. However, the covering element does not cover the hinge cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,192 to Grass discloses a protective cover for a hinge. The protective cover is an elastic strip that hooks to an end of the hinge arm, extends to cover the hinge arm, linkage, a portion of the hinge cup, and hooks to the edge of the hinge cup. However, the elastic strip does not cover the fastener portions of the hinge cup. The elastic strip of Grass leaves the fastener heads exposed.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest a hinge cover that covers the entire hinge. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a hinge cover that attaches to a pre-mounted hinge and covers the hinge arm and the hinge cup.